White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Tuesday night that Gov. Tony Evers turned down an offer of federal help from President Donald Trump to help quell the outbreak of violence in Kenosha.
“We have a National Guard standing by that if the general for the National Guard needs additional help, we’re there to do it,” Meadows said. “But today, that request was denied by the governor.”
The Democratic governor deployed the National Guard to Kenosha on Monday and doubled the size of the deployment to 250 on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Evers did speak with both Meadows and Trump but Meadows was offering help from the Department of Homeland Security, not the National Guard, according to the Evers administration. Evers declined because more Guard members were already been sent there.
“The governor informed them that we would be increasing Wisconsin National Guard support in Kenosha and therefore would not need federal assistance in response to protests but would welcome additional federal support and resources for our state’s response to COVID-19,” Evers spokeswoman Britt Cudaback said.
Trump also tweeted about the situation Tuesday, suggesting that Evers had not called in the National Guard even though he already had.
“Governor should call in the National Guard in Wisconsin. It is ready, willing, and more than able. End problem FAST!” Trump tweeted.
During his interview on Fox News with Tucker Carlson, Meadows said, “the appeal tonight to the people of Kenosha is the president is willing to help. It’s time that we take control. And hopefully the number of National Guard they have in tonight will restore peace but I’m not optimistic.”
It was the first time the Trump administration discussed events in Kenosha, where protests and violent unrest erupted after Sunday’s shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer.
Meadows said he had received calls from U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson about the situation in Kenosha, where buildings have been burned and cars smashed during two nights of unrest.
“Really, just pleading for help,” Meadows said. “Said the local sheriff, mayor and police chief need some additional assistance.”
“So, I got on the phone right away and called the governor and offered assistance in the form of additional National Guard help. As you know, they’re going to have some additional National Guard there tonight.
“But you know as a governor and as elected officials, you have to either ignore the problem, which a lot of liberal governors are doing exactly that, ignoring the problem, or you have to deal with it,” he said.
“And when you deal with it you have to make sure you have enough people on the ground to not let the rioting go. Listen, we have a First Amendment right that allows you to peacefully protest but you do not have a First Amendment right to loot and to riot. And what we’re seeing on the streets of Kenosha just breaks our heart.”
Evers has said he stands with those fighting police violence against Black people and called a special legislative session to try to overhaul policing in Wisconsin. On Tuesday he called for demonstrators to keep protests peaceful.
“Everyone should be able to exercise their fundamental right — whether a protester or member of the press — peacefully and safely,” he said in a statement. “We cannot allow the cycle of systemic racism and injustice to continue. We also cannot continue going down this path of damage and destruction.”
